Card carriers and method of making same



May 17, 1960 E. H. coPEN CARD CARRIERS AND METHOD OF' MAKING SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 28, 1958 May 17, 1960 4 E. H. coPEN CARD CARRIERS AND METHOD OF' MAKING SAME Filed March 28, 1958 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 nited States Patent C CARD CARRIERS AND lVIETHOD OF MAKING SAME This invention relates generally to the field of cardA indcxes and the like of a type in which alphabetically listed information may be carried on small cards.

In the prior art, the manufactureof such devices has been relatively costly owing to the large degree of hand labor necessary to assemble the component parts of the devices. Not only must a large number of cards be mounted on a supporting member, but care must be taken to assure that the cards aremounted in proper alphabetical order or sequence. To protect the cards against soil, it is preferable that the same be mounted within a transparent envelope in such manner as to be readily removable for the insertion of additional information from time .to time. The `assembly 4of the cards within the envelope constitutes a further hand operation tending to still further increase the cost of manufacturing'the de- `vice.

if One-of the most expensive parts of the construction has been the formation of a hinge means whereby the cards may be mounted in staggered relation and turned through substantially 180 to reveal cards disposed beneath the uppermost card. Not only must the hinge means be sufficiently flexible to permit the cards to lie fiat upon a supporting wall, but the same must possess sufficient mechanical strength to withstand many bending operations without fatigue.

It is therefore among the principal objects of the present invention to provide an improved card carrier and method of making the same in which a large number of the operations heretofore necessary inthe assembly of thedevice have been eliminated.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a card carrier of the class described in which the individual cards are formed in an enclosed condition, whereby subsequent insertion of a card into a transparent carrier member is dispensed with.

Another object of the invention liesin the provision of a device of the class described in which the total cost of Yfabrication may be of a low order, with consequent wide sale, distribution and use.

Still another object of the invention lies in the provision of a method for making a card carrier possessed of the above advantages which will require only ordinary skill in the art, and with an absence of any special tooling of any kind.

. A feature of the invention lies in the fact that the device may be constructed with a total absence of any sewing operations.

`Another feature of the invention lies in the fact that a minimum` of thermo-plastic materials are required to mount individual cards as contrasted with similar prior art devices.

These objects and features, as well as other incidental ends and advantages, will become more clearly apparent during the course of the following disclosure,and b A pointed out in the appended claims.

On the drawing, to which reference will bemade in the specification, similar referencecharacters have been emice ployed to designate corresponding parts throughout -the several views.

Figure l is a view in perspective showing a first step in the making of a first embodiment of the invention.`

Figure 2 is a view in perspective showing a second step in the method.

Figure 3 is a view in perspective showing an inserted strip forming a card index element comprising a part of the embodiment.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective showing a completed oard carrying unit formed by severing the struct-ure shown on Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view as: seen from the plane 5--5 on Figure 4. v

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a completed card carrier.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary View in perspective showing the holding of individual card carrier units in position on the finished card carrier shown on Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary View in perspective correspending to that seen on Figure 7 but showing the final integration of the completed card carrier.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view as seen from the plane 9 9 on Figure 6.

Figure 10 is a view in perspective corresponding to that seen on Figure l but showing 1a first step in the method of forming a second embodiment of the invention.

Figure ll is a view in perspective showingia completed card carrying unit comprising the second embodiment.

Figure 12 is a view in perspective corresponding to that seen on Figure 11, but showing certain of 4the component part-s in altered relative position.

Figure 13 is a transverse sectional viewasV seen plane 13--13 of Figure 11. i

In accordance with the first embodiment v"of the invention, the device, generally indicated by reference character 10 (see Figure 6) is formed as described hereinbelow of suitable flexible thermoplastic synthetic resin. Vinyl polymers and copolymers are generally suitable, as is polyethylene.

Referring t-o Figure l in theV drawing; there is shown a first step in the making of the device which consists of providing first and second planar members 11 and 12 of polyvinyl chloride material. The first and second planar' members 11 and 12 are substantially identical in conguration, each including elongated sideA edges 13 and 14, and end edges 1S and 16. Y

In the second step shown on Figure 2 on the drawing, the first and second planar members 11 and 12 have been heat-healed along four lines generally parallel yto `the longer axis of the sheets. A first seal line 17 and second seal line 18 are disposed on one side ofthe longitudinal axis of the sheets, while a third seal line 19 and fourth seal line 20 are disposed on the opposite side thereof. If desired, a trimming operation (not shown) may be combined with the forming of the seal lines 17 and 20 as is Well known in the therm-oplastic sealing art. With the above operation, there are formed first and second pockets 21 and 22 separated by an elongated interconnecting portions 23. The first pocket 21 includes first and second openings 24 and 25, while the second pocket 22 includes similar openings 26 and 27, respectively. Referring to Figure 3 in the drawing, there'is shown an elongated card index element 28 printed to form a plurality of page portions 30, and each bearing a suitable indicium 31. A pair of index elements28` are inserted into the first and second pockets 21 and 22, following which the engaged index card elements and pockets 21 andy-22 are severed along substantially uniformally spaced' severing lines 32. l l

With the completion of the severing operation, there on the are formed a plurality 0f `individual Pasaportion retainv Dinner surfacedZ (see Figure 7).

uingimetnbers I3,3, each containing two page portions 34,

Vassenso lines 1 8 and 19, and form the natural axis for bending. -Y

Referring to Figure 6, there is shown a planar mounting member 40 which may be formed of any suitable flexible material, as for example, sheet vinyl. The mounting member 40 may be a portion of a wallet or portfolio (not shown) and includes an outer surface 4l and an Extending from the inner surface to the outer surface il and 42, respectively, are aplurality of slits 43 disposed in substantially equally spaced parallel arrangementras' best seen on Figure 9. The individual .page portion retaining members 33 are inserted through the slits 43 in such manner that the interconnecting part 37 lies iiat against the inner surface 42 between adjacent pairs of siits 43. While maintaining the same in this position, a strip of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape i5 is applied in the manner shown on Figure 7, following which a cover sheet 46, preferably of opaque material is applied to' conceal the interconnection disposed therebeneath. if desired, the surface 48 of the sheet 46 may be also coated with pressure-sensitive adhesive, therebyenabling the same to adhere to the surface 42 of the mounting member 4i). In the preferred embodiment shown, the sheet d6 is maintained in position bya second outer sheet i7 of heat sealable material,

the bounding rectilinear edges of which are heat sealed difrectly to the' surface 42 in the manner shown on Figure 8.

Once engaged, as shown on Figures 6, 7 and 9, the individual page portion retaining members' 33 may be Vflded'to lie flat against the surface 41 of the mounting `member 4G, and folded through substantially 180 as required to instantly present a desired surface of an individual page portion 3i). As shown in Figure 4 on the drawing, the individual page portions 34 may be readily removed as desired from either side of the envelope portions 35 and 36.

Turning now to the method forforming the Second embodiment of the invention, as shown on Figures l to v.planar member 67, and a third planar member 68 in jux- -taposition las shown.

The planar members 66-6 are of similar material, and it will be observed that the method of interconnection is generally similar to Athat employed in the making of the first embodiment of the invention. l

Referring to Figure 1G, the first planar member 66 is generally Vrectangular and includes a pair of side edges t 69 and 7 as'well as end edges 7l and 72.

The second planar member 67 includes side edges 73 and 74 as well as end edges 75 and 76. The third planar member 68 includes side edges 77 and 78 aswell as end edges 79 and 80.. In the initial disposition shown, the second planar member 67 is of a size and configuration sufficient yto'com'pletely Loverlie the'iirst planarmember 66 Vand completely underlie the third planar member 68.

With the sealing operation, there is formed a first seal line 81, a second seal line 82, a third seal line S3, a fourth seal line 84, a fifth seal line 85 and a sixth seal line 486. Free of interconnection are the edges 80 and 7 2 which form entrances topockets 88 and 39 into which individuabindexlcards 90 may be placed. The portion *91? formed between theY free edges 8i) andi-72 corresponds' to the interconnecting part 37 of the first embodiment, and the completed second embodiment is installed upon a mounting member (not shown) exactly as in the rst embodiment.

Although the method employed in the making of the second embodiment does not include the severing step which comprises a part of Vthe first embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art to which Vthe invention relates that this stepmay be included where the individual page portion retaining members are suiiiciently small to permit such operation. Where this step is performed, the individual page portions will nevertheless be singly introduced into the respective pockets, owing to the fact that the same are closed on three sides.

it may thus be seen that I have invented novel and highly useful improvements in card carriers and methods for making the same, in which it is possible to eliminate a large part of the heretofore necessary hand tting of component parts during assembly. By fabricating the individual page portion retaining members and page portions' in integral form` prior to severing operation, the individual fitting of each card within its corresponding pocket is eliminated. By resort to heat sealing, no sewing operations are necessary. The assembled device may have .an .attractive appearance and more than adequate durability for its contemplated use, and is easily manipulated by the user. Y

I Wish it to be understood that I do not consider the Y invention limited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modications will occur to those skilled in the artto which the invention pertains.

I claim:

l. The method of making a card carrier for av plu` rality of index page portions comprising the steps of: (l) providing first and second planarV members of synthetic resinous material of generally rectangular shape; (2) interconnecting said first and second members along the peripheral edges and along a line joining two parallel edges thereof to form a pair of envelopes open at at least one edge portion thereof, said envelopes being separated by a generally elongated strip of material; v(3) providing a planar mounting member having a plurality of substantially equallyspaced slits disposedin substanftially parallel relation; (4) inserting one of said pockets through an adjacent pair of slits in said mounting member to a Ypoint where said elongated connecting portion is disposed parallel to and contacting a portion of the surface of said mounting member between said adjacent pair of slits. The method of making a card carrier for a plu- -rality of index page portions. comprisingthe steps of: (1) providing i'irst and second planar members of synthetic resinous material of generally rectangular shape; (2) interconnecting said rst VandY second membersV along thelonger edges and along a line parallel to said longer edges thereof to form a pair of envelopes each open'at each of two shorter ends thereof and separated by va generally elongated connecting portion; (3) lsevering said envelopes to form a pluralityof similar smaller envelopes; (4) providing a planarmounting member having a plurality ofV substantially equally spacedslits disposed in substantially parallel relation; (5) inserting one. of said pockets through an adjacentV pair of slitsin said mounting member to a point where said elongated connecting portion isdisposed parallel to and contacting a portion Aof thesurface of said mounting memberibetween said adjacent pair of slits.

3. The method of making a card carrier for a plu-V vrality of index page portions comprising the steps of: (l) providing first, second and third planar members of synthetic resinous material of generally rectangular shape, oneof said planar members being substantially larger in onefdimension than the remaining planar members; (2)

interconnecting said rrst, second and third members along allel to and contacting a portion of the surface of said the edges thereof to form a pair of envelopes, each open mounting member between said adjacent pair of slits.

at at least one edge thereof? and separated b y a generally References Cited in the me of this patent elongated connecting portion; (3) provlding a planar mounting member 'having a plurality of substantially 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS equally spaced slits disposed in substantially parallel rela- 848,245 Horwitz Mar. 26, 1907 tion; (4) inserting one of said pockets through an ad- 1,739,202 Attwood Dec. 10, 1929 jacent pair of slits in said mounting member to a point 2,122,956 Salley July 5, 1938 where said elongated connecting portion is disposed par- 2,767,756 Niles Oct. 23, 1956 

